Riftbound Cards Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before You Start

If you have been eyeing Riftbound booster packs at Card Brawlers without knowing where to begin, you are not alone. The League of Legends trading card game brings champion fantasy into a fresh battlefield-control system that works for complete newcomers and experienced TCG players alike.

This Riftbound cards guide covers everything you need before your first game: what cards exist, how they function, how the turn structure flows, how you win, and what to pick up first. By the end, you will be ready to sit down with a deck and play a real game.

Card Brawlers, Montreal's favourite one-stop game store, serves as the primary hub for Riftbound players across Outremont, Plateau-Mont-Royal, Mile End, and the wider Montreal area. The store regularly stocks Riftbound singles, Origins and Spiritforged sealed product, and all gaming accessories players need. This guide walks through card types, deck construction rules, the turn structure, scoring, and the community support that defines the Riftbound experience in Montreal.

Key Takeaways ✅

• Every Riftbound deck is built around a Champion Legend that defines your card pool and strategy.

• Understanding all six card types gives you the foundation to evaluate any card you open or purchase.

• The ABCD turn structure keeps the game consistent and predictable from round one onwards.

• You win by reaching 8 victory points through capturing and holding battlefield locations.

• Knowing the rules in advance dramatically shortens your learning curve at your first event.

🏆 Understanding Riftbound Card Formats and Play Levels

Riftbound supports multiple ways to play, each suited to a different level of experience and engagement.

Casual Kitchen-Table Play

The most accessible entry point into Riftbound. No strict deck requirements, relaxed rules enforcement, and a low-pressure environment make casual play the ideal starting place. Sessions typically involve 1v1 or small group games using preconstructed decks.

Constructed Play

Mid-tier organized play where players bring custom-built decks and compete under standardized rules. Constructed events use the full card pool from legal sets and often involve deck registration before play begins.

Competitive and Nexus Night Events

The highest level of local Riftbound play, featuring experienced players, strict deck legality checks, and formal event structures. Card Brawlers hosts weekly Nexus Night 1v1 Constructed events that serve as the primary competitive touchstone for Montreal players.

Format	Card Types	Complexity	Deck Check	Best For
Casual Start	Units + Spells	Low	No	New players, deck testing
Constructed	Full card pool	Medium	Yes	Players with a built deck
Competitive	Full + Runes	High	Yes	Tournament-ready players

⚔️ The Six Riftbound Card Types Explained

Understanding each card type is the foundation of your Riftbound cards guide knowledge. Each type plays a specific role in how games unfold.

Champion Legend

The Champion Legend is the most important card in your deck. It sits in the Legend Zone, remains visible to all players throughout the game, and determines two critical things: the domain identity of your main deck and the activated ability available to you each turn. Your Legend is your commander, and every other card you include must match at least one of its domains.

Units

Units are your fighters on the board. Each unit carries a Might value, a single number representing both how much damage it deals and how much it can absorb. When you play a unit, it enters Exhausted, meaning it cannot act immediately. On your following turn, it Awakens and becomes Ready to move, fight, and hold battlefields.

Spells

Spells are one-time effects that resolve immediately and then go to the discard pile. They handle direct damage, buffs, removal, and disruption. While they do not persist on the board, they can shift momentum at key moments during a game.

Gear

Gear cards are persistent upgrades that live in your Base and provide ongoing bonuses or abilities rather than immediate effects. Unlike spells, gear stays in play until an opponent removes it.

Battlefields

Each player includes one Battlefield card in their deck. At the start of every game, all battlefields are placed in the central play area. These are the locations where combat happens and where victory points are earned. Some battlefields carry passive effects that change gameplay for everyone at the table.

Runes

Runes are your resource system and are kept in a separate Rune Deck of 12 cards. At the start of each turn, you channel 2 runes onto the board. You spend them in two ways: by Exhausting them sideways to pay Energy costs, or by Recycling them back to the bottom of your Rune Deck to pay Power costs. Importantly, the same rune can pay both costs at once, which becomes a meaningful decision in competitive play.

🛠️ Deck-Building Rules for New Players

Building your first Riftbound deck follows a clear set of rules that make the process more approachable than most TCGs.

Step-by-Step Deck Construction

Step 1: Choose Your Champion Legend. Select a Legend whose domains and ability match your preferred style of play. Aggressive, defensive, mobile, and flexible builds all exist.

Step 2: Choose Your Champion Unit. Pick one champion unit whose name matches your Legend. This is your Chosen Champion and starts the game ready to deploy from outside your main deck.

Step 3: Build Your Main Deck. Your main deck requires at least 40 cards consisting of units, spells, and gear. Every card must match at least one of your Legend's domains. You may include no more than 3 copies of any card sharing the same name.

Step 4: Build Your Rune Deck. Select 12 rune cards that match your Legend's domains. You can go deep into one rune type or mix them across both of your Legend's domains.

Step 5: Review Signature Card Limits. Your main deck may contain no more than 3 Signature cards total, and all must share the Champion tag matching your Legend.

Step 6: Test and Adjust. Play your deck several times before committing to it for an event. Real opponent interaction reveals weaknesses that solo testing cannot.

The best starting point for new players is a preconstructed deck. You can browse the full range of Riftbound sealed product at Card Brawlers, including the Proving Grounds Box Set, which is built specifically to get 2 to 4 players into the game immediately.

📋 The ABCD Turn Structure

Every Riftbound turn follows the same four-step opening sequence. Memorizing this makes the game feel natural within a few rounds.

A: Awaken

Ready all of your Exhausted cards by turning them upright. Units, your Legend, and runes all reset. This does not apply on the very first turn of the game.

B: Beginning

Score 1 victory point for each Battlefield you currently control. Then resolve any start-of-turn abilities on your cards or your Legend.

C: Channel

Draw 2 runes from your Rune Deck and place them face-up and ready on the board. The player going second on the very first turn draws 3 runes instead to offset the tempo disadvantage of going second.

D: Draw

Draw 1 card from your Main Deck. There is no maximum hand size in Riftbound.

After ABCD concludes, you enter the Action Phase. This is the heart of the game. You may play cards, move units, activate abilities, and initiate combat in any order and as many times as you can afford, until you choose to end your turn.

🎯 Scoring and How to Win

Victory in Riftbound comes from reaching 8 points in a standard game, or 11 points in team formats.

Conquer a Battlefield

Move your units into a contested battlefield, eliminate all opposing units through combat, and take control. You score 1 victory point immediately upon conquest.

Hold a Battlefield

During your Beginning phase, if you have units at a battlefield and your opponent does not, you score 1 point per battlefield you hold. Holding multiple locations simultaneously accelerates your path to 8 points significantly.

The Final Point Rule

Your 8th and final point must come specifically from holding a battlefield during your Beginning phase, or from conquering both battlefields in a single turn. If you earn a point that would reach 8 but does not meet this condition, you draw a card instead of winning. This rule prevents cheap single-attack wins and keeps late-game tension high.

🏪 Where to Start: Card Brawlers and the Montreal Community

Card Brawlers operates as the primary Riftbound hub for Montreal players, hosting organized play and supporting competitors at every skill level.

Products for New Players

• Proving Grounds Box Set: Contains everything needed for 2 to 4 players to start immediately with preconstructed decks.

• Origins Booster Box: The debut Riftbound set with nearly 300 cards for players ready to draft or build custom lists.

• Riftbound Singles: Pick up specific cards without opening boxes. Browse the full Riftbound Singles collection at Card Brawlers to target exactly what your deck needs.

Events at Card Brawlers

• Weekly Nexus Night events for 1v1 Constructed play, ideal for testing decks and competing regularly.

• Monthly structured events as the main competitive touchstone for experienced players.

• Special seasonal events tied to new Riftbound set releases throughout the year.

You can register for upcoming Nexus Night events here. Entry is $10 with promo packs on participation.

Contact for Event Information

Phone: +1 514-495-7758

Website: cardbrawlers.com

Address: 7105 Rue Saint-Denis, Unit 202, Montreal, QC H2S 2S5

💡 Tips for Your First Game of Riftbound

Start with a Precon

Do not overthink your first deck. The Proving Grounds Box Set is balanced, beginner-ready, and removes the deck-building decision entirely so you can focus on learning the rules.

Know Your Legend's Domains Before Buying Singles

Every card you purchase must match your Champion Legend's allowed domains. Verify this before spending money on individual cards.

Watch Your Rune Usage

The choice between Exhausting a rune for Energy and Recycling it for Power is one of the most important decisions in every turn. Learn to think a step ahead on your resource spending.

Always Be Contesting a Battlefield

Passive points from Holding locations accumulate turn after turn. Never leave battlefields uncontested if you can help it.

Move Units Intentionally

Moving a unit into an occupied battlefield initiates combat immediately. Use that deliberately, not accidentally.

🏁 Your Starting Point for Riftbound in Montreal

Riftbound offers a genuinely fresh take on trading card game design. The battlefield-control objective, the rune resource system, and the champion-driven deck identity all combine into something that is quick to learn and rewarding to master.

Card Brawlers has Montreal's widest selection of Riftbound sealed product, singles, and weekly in-store events. Start your journey on the Riftbound Singles page to build your competitive deck, check the Event Calendar for upcoming Nexus Nights, or browse Riftbound Sealed Product to explore Origins and Spiritforged. Call +1 514-495-7758 and take your place in Montreal's growing Riftbound community.

FAQs

Q: What is the difference between a casual Riftbound game and a Nexus Night event?

A: Casual games have no deck requirements and relaxed rules enforcement, making them perfect for newcomers. Nexus Night events use standardized 1v1 Constructed rules with deck legality checks and are better suited for players with some game experience.

Q: How many cards do I need in a Riftbound main deck?

A: Your main deck requires at least 40 cards. All cards must match your Champion Legend's domains, and you may include no more than 3 copies of any card with the same name.

Q: Can I compete in Riftbound events as a complete beginner?

A: Yes. Start with casual play or pick up a Proving Grounds Box Set and learn the rules before entering a structured event. Card Brawlers staff can also help you prepare your first deck list.

Q: How do runes work in Riftbound?

A: Runes sit in a separate 12-card Rune Deck. You channel 2 each turn and spend them by Exhausting them sideways for Energy costs or Recycling them to the bottom of your deck for Power costs. Runes refresh at the start of your next turn.

Q: What is the best Riftbound product to buy first?

A: The Proving Grounds Box Set is the cleanest entry point. It includes preconstructed decks and everything you need to start playing immediately. Once you understand the rules, an Origins Booster Box lets you begin building your own list.